Blackstar

I paced Vera’s bedroom, doing everything I could to not run away. Running away would only make everyone angry. Besides, the man can find me anywhere I went.

Vera knocked on the door. “Joseph is awake and wants to talk to you,” she said and I nodded mutely, my mouth dry.

I walked down the hall, wringing my hands. I knocked gently and went in when he called for me to come in. He was in his bed propped up by pillows. A servant had finished giving him a goblet that was resting on the night stand.

“Hello, Trinity,” he said in a hoarse voice.

I sat beside his bed. “My name is Raven now,” I whispered and he nodded.

“Right, I’ve forgotten.” He coughed a little. “We have a lot to talk about. But first, how did you get away?”

I shrugged. “I can’t remember, Joseph.” I frowned at the floor. “I remember running away and tripping. I hit my head on a tree. The orphanage said they found me in an abandoned house. I can only imagine that I wandered around and fell asleep in the house. I remembered I was 3. For 18 years I lived in the orphanage before I ran away.”

“And that’s when you came to live with the King and Queen?” he finished and I nodded.

“What about you?”

“After Lord Lucian made me a thrall, he took me to his coven. Our parents were vampires that somehow gave birth to human children. That is unheard of. Lucian was certain there was something special about the two of us. Perhaps he was right. The Celestials were a large coven at the time. But when you got away… it’s like the coven was poisoned. That’s where I got the idea to poison my blood.” He coughed again. “I found a poisonous plant in the woods and ground it up into my meal.”

“That was so dangerous,” I gasped. “How did you know that you wouldn’t die?”

“I didn’t. But, without my blood keeping him alive, he would die out. When the poison didn’t kill me, I knew that it was still in my blood stream and would poison him. So, I let him feed on me without arguing.”

“Why did he name you Blackmoon?”

“His plan was to name you Blackstar as well,” he said. “I don’t know if Prince Alexi told you, but he has a tattoo of a black star on his forehead and a black moon on his neck.” He pulled down the left side of his shirt to reveal a black moon. “He had this burned into my shoulder when he first fed from me.”

I pulled down the left side of my own sleeve. The star that had burned into my shoulder had turned black. I frowned.

“It wasn’t black before….”

“He’s gaining power,” Joseph said sadly. “Soon my blood will leave him.”

“Who will he feed from?”

“Normally, the other vampires, but they’re all gone now. So he’ll probably feed from animals until….”

He didn’t finish and I sighed. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I shouldn’t have left.”

He shook his head and put a hand on mine. “No. I’m glad you got out safely.”

Suddenly, my bites burned and I hissed in pain, putting my hand on them as Joseph did the same. The burning intensified, making me dizzy.

“Together again,” the voice taunted. “How sweet. Soon, my dear children, I will find my strength and take over your lovely kingdom.” Joseph, pale as a sheet, tried to stand. The black smoke thickened. “Oh, don’t try to move my sweet son.”

“I am not your son,” he snapped.

“You are going to die,” the voice stated. “And when you do, I will hunt down my dear Blackstar.”

I swallowed thickly just as the door slammed open. The black smoke dissipated and the King hurried in with a guard on his heels.

“I heard shouting,” he said, looking around. “Who was here?”

“Lord Lucian,” Joseph panted, lying back down on his pillows.

King Bartholomew’s eyes widened. “How did he find you!?” he demanded. “Guards, search for him!”

“Don’t,” I said, wiping sweat from my brow. “He doesn’t know where we are.”

“Then how can he keep finding you?” the King asked. “Bring them some water,” he added to a passing servant.

“It’s our tattoos,” Joseph said. We showed him. “They’re not just a mark of who we are. It’s also a link. He may not be able to see where we are, but he can send a projection of himself.”

The King sighed. A servant came in with two goblets of water. I drained the goblet in one gulp.

“So what do we do now?” Joseph asked, his eyes worried.

“You get rest,” I told him, standing and swaying a little.

“You do, too,” the King insisted but I shook my head.

“I need to see Alexi.”

“Let me walk with you at least,” the King said.

I gripped Joseph’s hand. “I’ll be back. Get sleep.”

-Alexi’s POV-

I was in the dining hall, taking a late lunch, when my father and Raven entered in. I smiled until I saw the looks on their faces. I stood.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

There were dark circles under Raven’s eyes and she was incredibly pale. I helped her sit down and the cook brought a plate of food for her. She smiled graciously at Tilda.

“We’ve had another contact,” my father sighed. Raven was pushing food around on her plate. “Eat, Raven. You need food now.”

“I don’t have an appetite,” she said but ate anyway.

“Was it Lucian?” My father nodded. I clenched my teeth. “Is there nothing we can do to stop him?”

“Joseph doesn’t have much time left,” Raven said and I held her hand tightly. “If the voice – Lucian – can’t get nourishment before Joseph dies, then Joseph believes he will die as well. But he can get nourishment for animals.”

“Would the blood from animals be enough?” I asked.

Raven sighed heavily. “I didn’t get the chance to find out,” she said. “Before he could answer, we were attacked.” She showed me her bite marks. They stood out vividly against her pale neck. “Joseph says he can’t find us; he can only send a projection of himself to us. Our tattoos act as a sort of magnet.”

“Come with me,” I muttered, holding her hand after she was done eating. “Take a walk with me, please.”

“With pleasure,” she said sincerely and I led her to the greenhouse.

She inhaled deeply when we walked in, her eyes closed. Several servants were milling about watering the flowers and other plant life.

“Please leave us,” I commanded and they bowed. I waited for them to leave before pulling her tightly into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

She hugged me back, putting her head on my chest. “Don’t be,” she whispered. “There’s nothing you or anyone else can do.”

“And that’s what kills me the most. How can I protect you?”

She started to shake. “I’m scared, Alexi,” she whispered.

“I won’t let him have you,” I said, holding her tightly. “I refuse to let him have you.”

“Alexi, I don’t think you can-”

“I can and I will,” I interrupted and guided her face to mine. I kissed her. “You’re not his.”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “Can we walk, please?”

“Of course.”

I put an arm around her waist and walked down the length of the greenhouse with her.